Luxury residences to come up on Cadbury House plot

MUMBAI: Cadbury House site to be replaced by luxury apartments; excavation resumes after 2022 landslide. New plans include two buildings, parking.

MUMBAI: The South Mumbai plot, where Cadbury House once stood, will soon see a multi-storeyed building with luxury apartments come up in place of the iconic landmark. Excavation of the plot, which had halted in June 2022 after a landslide, recommenced two months ago after getting BMC approval.

Mumbai, India - Feb. 7, 2025:Cadbury Plot near Mahalaxmi Temple in Mumbai, India, on Friday, February 7, 2025. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

Cadbury House was acquired by the global chocolate confectioner in 1981 and was refurbished in 2001. In November 2013, diamond merchant Dilipkumar Lakhi purchased Cadbury House along with the plot for around ₹350 crore. Peninsula Land, Lodha Developers and Oberoi Realty too were interested in buying the plot over a decade ago.

As per the Intimation of Disapproval (IOD) issued in December 2017, of which HT has a copy, the original height of the proposed building was to be 107.10 metres with 28 floors. This plan involved 10 floors of parking, including the three basement floors, a service floor, and residences on the remaining floors.

This plan was revised in June 2022, and entailed the project being split into two buildings and two basements for car parking. One building will be 79.65 mt tall and the second wing 30.90 mt. The first wing, which will be a mixed used structure, will have a total of 19 floors, showed documents with the civic body accessed by the Hindustan Times. The other wing will house eight floors. Officials from the BMC’s building proposals department declined to comment on the construction plans.

When ready, at least two floors are likely to be retained by Lakhi while the rest of the apartments will be sold. Lakhi did not respond to a message to confirm the development.

The landslide on the Cadbury House plot occurred on the night of June 30, 2022 when the excavation for the basement and piling work was underway. Part of the natural hill had slid down during heavy rains, resulting in the evacuation of residents of the adjoining Soham Bungalow.

In September 2024, permission was sought to resume excavation work, and the Commencement Certificate for this has been revalidated up to August 2025. The 4,595.06 sq-mt plot falls under Coastal Regulatory Zone II and the permissible built-up area is 11,467.68 sq mt.

Named after the popular global chocolate brand Cadbury, the plot used to house two structures—the company’s two-storeyed headquarters and a separate eight floors of residences. The name Cadbury House remains associated with the plot to this day, including the traffic junction at which it is situated opposite Mahalaxmi Temple.